Dongdaemun-gu Office and Disability Welfare Center Begin Partnership

Matching of 11 District Office Departments and 2 Local Disability Welfare Centers; Volunteer Activities Started on July 13

Volunteer Activities to Continue Until December This Year... Expected Improvement in Disability Welfare Level through Disability Awareness Enhancement and Bonding

Dongdaemun-gu (District Mayor Lee Pil-hyung) has matched district office departments (11 departments across 2 bureaus) with 2 local disability welfare centers (Gurip Dongdaemun Comprehensive Disability Welfare Center and Dongmun Disability Welfare Center) and started volunteer activities from July this year.

This “District Office Department-Disability Facility Matching Volunteer” program pairs the Gurip Dongdaemun Comprehensive Disability Welfare Center with the Administration Bureau (6 departments) and the Dongmun Disability Welfare Center with the Resident Welfare Bureau (5 departments). Each bureau will visit the disability facilities once a month to conduct volunteer activities, which will continue until December this year.

On the 13th, the Resident Welfare Bureau’s Donghaeng team and staff marked the beginning of the matching volunteer activities. The Donghaeng team and staff participated in the horticulture program at the Dongmun Disability Welfare Center, chatting with people with developmental disabilities and assisting in making succulent plant pots.

The Donghaeng team and staff who participated in the volunteer work said, “It was a healing time to see the pure sides of people with disabilities after being away from rigid work, and we would like to actively encourage our colleagues to participate as well.”

On the 27th, staff from the Administrative Support Division of the Administration Bureau volunteered in the table tennis class program operated by the Dongdaemun Comprehensive Disability Welfare Center. On this day, Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, personally participated in the volunteer program to encourage people with disabilities and staff.

A representative of the Dongdaemun Comprehensive Disability Welfare Center expressed gratitude to the district office staff, saying, “Today, the participants in the table tennis class seemed to participate more joyfully and passionately than usual.”

The district office plans to analyze the program content after conducting volunteer activities to find ways to vitalize the matching volunteer program, aiming to promote the “District Office Department-Disability Facility Matching Volunteer” as a sustainable and substantial initiative rather than a one-time event.

Lee Pil-hyung, Mayor of Dongdaemun-gu, said, “I hope this volunteer activity will improve awareness of disabilities and strengthen bonds with disability facilities,” adding, “I hope that employees will take the lead in participating so that we can continue to improve the level of disability welfare and create a Dongdaemun-gu where people with and without disabilities walk together.”